The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-12-07
THE SERPENTS STING.

stephen, do sincerely hope and pray
that nothing may occur to mar your pros
poets, for should certainly consider rupt-
ure at this stage calamity of tho most la
mentable kind. Dear old fellow, here you
are full five and thirty
mot quiten
"Well, you lack not more than three
months and two days But seriously, Steve,
| am more anxious than you think ] want
you to have home and to be settled down in
il; and, moreover, want you to secure the
priceless woman whose love you have won.
What man you might be with an aim in
life above yourself"
SO spoke Dadmun Carter to his friend
Stephen Langdon.
Dadmun had been married almost fifteen
years and had happy family beneath his
roof tree, while Stephen had wandered alone,
though not without such friends as the free
hearted, careless possessor Of wealth must
ever find.
Several reasons had thus far held Stephen
aloof from matrimony. First he was by ma
ture difident and cowardly in female society;
second, the class of women with whom it had
been his fortune to be thrown in contact had
not been of character to command his 10.
spect; and, third he knew that many fair
and scheming damsels had aimed to capture
him only that they might enjoy his wealth,
for, be it known, he was wealthy. Though
he had for years lived at the top OF his bent,
he had not spent his income.
The massive principal lay intact, just as his
father had left it.
But at length Stephen Lnngdon had found
a woman whom he not only loved, but who,
he believed, loved him in return.
Laura Dempsey was her name; an orphan
y years of age, healthful, cheerful happy,
beautiful and good.
Since the death of her father who had
been one of Stephens warmest friends she had
been engaged as teacher of music and draw
ing in one of the select schools; and the true
feminine graces and virtues were all her
own
To DO sure, Stephen wns the older by thir-
teen years, but still he believed she really
loved him, as lie loved her.
He felt that he could take her to his heart
and hold her there, safe and true--beloved
always-while life should last.
.Only,n he sometimes asked himself, twill
she love me the sames When my hair be-
comes gray, viii she love me as now. And
is it Steve she foves, or his bank account.
Docs she think most of resting her head upon
this faithful bosom, on in wheedling this
hand of mino to sign her checlSsg
Poor mani Had he loved Laurn Dempsey
less he might not have suffered, but his very
hesrt-his life-was bound up in her, and it
would have mado him utterly miserable to
know that she'could speak his name without
warm and generous emotion.
"Ay, Stephen, what a man you might be-
with an aim in life above yourself, y said Dad
mum. "And where viii you flnd'---
Hush know all you would say. Bless
her dear heart. She is an angel, and would
bring very demon to the foot of the cross.
| believe; but | don't want her to try. /
have made up my mind, old fellow. / know
she viii be my wife when l say, for have
meanly drawn that admission from her
without committing myself. My only won
der is--and that initiates something against
her care and judgmcnt--how she came to set
her heart upon man so much her senior,
and, above all else, man whose life has
been SO lightly and loosely spent as has
minen
stephen, you do not pretend that you are
ignorant in that direction All, don't play
tho hypocrite.r
'Hypocritel What do you Ineanin
'.Why, Steve, / mean this: You know why
and how the heart of that girl, with all its
wealth Of faith, love and devotion, was drawn
10 you. Don't shake your head Listen. If
ever human being worshiped any earthly
thing, Laura Dempsey worshiped her
father
ssAy,n cried Langdon, with enthusiasm,
''she had reason. Dear old Dempsey. loved
that man as though he had been my own
brother
"Ah, Stephen, you have answered your
own proposition. Don't you suppose, don't
you know that Tom Dempsey loved you In
return, and didn't Laura know oil about it!
Do you not know how the father pictured
you to his daughter. And then, Stephen.
when you came TO open your purse TO that
man as you did-so kindly and so quietly
lifting him and his loved ones from absolute
suffering into comfort and peace: do you not
know how the daughters tender generous
heart mpst have gone out to you in graft
tude And, Stephen, you stultify yourself
when you pretend to wonder what girl can
find to admire and esteem in your manli-
ness
"Say no more, Dadmun. If you knew
how | loved TINT girl think you would
tremble for me. But | shall not let more
time slip--ah whom have we here's That
Stark woman, upon my lifc"
Matilda StarkF'
eyes. She has como to get my subscrip-
ton in behalf of her Cosmopolitan, Inter-
changeable, Universally Embracing Allevia-
ton society,"
'sThen I'll take myself off can't endure
that woman"
Dadmun Carter left by one door, and Miss
Matilda Stark, q lady who had refused to
grow old through many years, entered by
another.
Miss Stark had gained Mr.. Langdon's sub
scription to her new enterprise, and then she
contrived, in a very adroit and seemingly
sympathetic manner, to introduce the name
of Laura Dempsey.
Never mind all she said.
A bewildering torrent of whimpering,
mincing, winking and blinking preceded her
main subject. Finally she discharged the
broadsidc at point blank range.
She had arrived at the important climax
by carefully regulated gradations.
"Ah, me! this is O strange world, Mr..
Stephen. But think you ought to know it'll
don't like to tattle--I will not tattlel But 1t
Is my duty to tell you this. I heard Laura
Dempsey say--she said in my hearing, and
doubt not it was meant for my ears. heard
her say these words Said she, in speaking
Of you, when some one had laughingly jolsed
her about becoming the wife Of Stephen
LaDgdop-said she, in direct response to the
calling of your name--T don't care for him
why should II But do care for his money!